Fireproof wall construction.



I. A. FERGUSON.

FIREPROOF WALL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY23| I916 Patented May 29, 1917.

JOHN A. FERGUSON, 01? DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FERGUSON SYNSTONE 00., 0F DENVER, COLORADO.

FIREPROOF WALL CONSTRUCTION.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN A. FnnoUsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Wall Construction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in buildin wall constructions.

Broadly speaking, its aim is to provide a more effective bonding union, or reinforcing tying means, between the walls of a builting, thus insuring greater security and strength to the structure as a whole, and without substantially increasing the material cost of construction.

lVhile the present improvements are peculiarly adaptable to the type of fireproof building construction disclosed in my former Patent #836,310 of Nov. 20, 1906, and while I shall so illustrate and describe them as being a reinforced structural part thereof, it will be understood that, in its fullest scope, my present invention is not necessarily so limited in its broader application of uses.

Primarily, my present invention involves a reinforced corner construction for abutting walls, whereby, in addition to the normal joinder of the abutting masonry or building blocks at corner or intersection of the walls, there is also provided a trussing feature, including tie-beams, or equivalent elements, respectively embedded, at one of their ends, in their complementary wall section and projecting interiorly thereof are anchored or fixedly secured together, against pivotal displacement, at a position within the i open corner angle of the abutting wall sec tions, thus forming a very effective internal truss for the corner sections as will more fully hereinafter appear.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention, in its preferred form, is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective detail with por- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 23, 1916.

Patented l'illay 29, 1911?. Serial No. 99,445.

tions broken away, showing two corners of a wall constructed in accordance with my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one corner of the wall, with portions broken away.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in both of the views.

eferring now to the details of the draw- 111g,

1 designates building blocks, of cement or any suitable material, the said blocks being laid in the wall in the usual manner so as to break joints, and preferably each block has one or more webs or projections 2 of the requisite length and of any suitable shape.

8 is a tie-beam or member extending longitudinally of one wall, and consisting of any suitable material and being-of any required size and shape in cross section. It is supported on the webs or projections 2 of the blocks. The joists 4 may be supported by resting directly upon the joistsupport 3 or in any other manner well-known in the art.

5 designates auxiliary tie-members, preferably in the nature of tie-beams extending lengthwise of their complementary walls, and hence at an angle to the joist supporting tie-beams, the said elements 3 and 5 crossing each other, respectively, near their ends, at a position within the open corner angle between the abutting wall sections, where the overlapping portions are positively secured together, against pivotal displacement, in any suitable manner, illustrated as by bolts or rivets 6. It matters not whether the outer faces of the wall at the corners be at right angles to each other or at greater or less angles; the construction and result are the same. The members 5 are supported on the webs or projections 2 of the blocks 1 which they traverse, and the ad j acent projecting ends 3 and 5 of the overlapped members 3 and 5 are built into the wall, being embedded in the mortar or cement space between an upper and lower course of blocks in such positions, as clearly shown, that the projecting end of one member will span or bond the top edges of the cement joint (appearing in an end wall) between the abutting corner blocks of the lower course, while the projecting end of the other member will similarly span or ting corner courses of blocks having a base portion and bond the bottom edges of the cement joint (appearing in a side wall) between the abutting corner blocks of the next upper course.

Thus it will be seen that my improvements, while very simple in construction and arrangement, accomplish extremely important functions in building wall constructions, in that, supplementary to the normal cement or mortar joinder of the corner blocks, (1) the tie-members 3 and 5 function per 86 as anchoring means, with a long reach, between the side and end wall sections, and between the blocks themselves of each section, the beam 3 also functioning as a joist support as desired (2) the projecting ends of these members additionally serve as bonders for the vertical cement joints of the abutting corner blocks between which they are embedded, making these joints more secure (3) the embedded ends of these members being held fast in the wall structure proper and being also secured together, against pivotal displacement, within the open corner angle between the abutting walls, provide for a very secure trussing effect externally of the walls proper, and (4-) the arrangement functioning in combined effect to produce a reinforced wall structure, as a whole, of superior strength and stability against bulging or collapse, and with corners that, in a very high degree, are practically indestructible as to high winds, earth shocks or other extraordinary external forces.

It is evident that the joist-support 3 is duplicated at the opposite side of the wall, it being deemed unnecessary, however, to show the companion support.

Having thus described my invention, it will be understood that I reserve to myself a fair range of equivalents as come within the scope of the ensuing claims.

What I claim is r 1. A wall construction, embodying abutforming walls, composed of a lateral supporting web, in combination with a tle-beam, extendmg longitudinally Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the of each of said walls, in spaced relation to the base portion thereof, and mounted directly, upon the supporting webs, respectively, of the blocks in the same course, the said tie-beams overlapping within the interior angle formed by the abutting walls, with their overlapped ends projecting and seating directly upon the upper face of a block in its opposed wall and firmly embedded within the mortar space between an upper and lower course thereof; and means for securing said tie-beams together positively, at their overlapped positions, their projecting embedded ends cooperating with said positive securing means to provide a reinforcing truss for the corner sections of the abutting walls, substantially as described.

2. A wall construction, embodying abutting corner forming walls, composed of courses of blocks having base body portions and integral lateral supporting webs, in combination with a series of sets of tie-beams, eX- tending longitudinally of each of said walls, in spaced relation to the base portion thereof, and mounted directly upon the supporting webs, respectively, of the blocks in the same course, at proper distances relative to the height of the structure, the said sets of tie-beams overlapping within the interior open angle formed with their overlapped ends projecting into the plane of and seating directly upon the upper faces of the base portions of blocks in their opposed wall, being firmly embedded within the mortar space between an upper and lower course thereof, and one of the sets of tie-beams, at proper intervals, functioning as joist supports; and means for securing saidisets of tie-beams together positively at their overlapped position, their projecting embedded ends cooperating with said positive securing means to provide an internal reinforcing truss for the corner sections of the abutting walls, anchored from a position outside of the wall structure proper, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN A. FERGUSON.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

by the abutting walls, 

